More than 20,000 party at Cologne's inaugural Rainbow Festival
The 10-hour party at Fühlinger lake, to the north of the western German city, featured performances by Eurovision winner Loreen, noughties-era German pop group No Angels, and US duo The Weather Girls, famous for the 1982 hit song "It's Raining Men."
"Right now, every festival that celebrates diversity and tolerance and raises awareness is important," Olivia Jones, one of Germany's best-known drag queens, told dpa.
The Hamburg native hosted the event and used the occasion to draw attention to Saturday's Pride parade in Budapest, which defiantly went forward despite a ban by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
"Half my heart is in Budapest today. I think it's important that some [members of the European Parliament] from Germany are supporting our friends," said Jones. "If I weren't hosting this festival, I would have gone with them."
The Cologne music festival, a new edition to the city's Pride events, began in the early afternoon under sunny skies and temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius.
German singer Mia Julia, who set the tone with a high-energy early set, told dpa: "For me, it's a bit of a crowning glory because I've been campaigning for free love for years. My sister is married to a woman, I'm bi – so it's particularly important to me to fly the rainbow flag."
Village People performance sparks debate
In the lead-up to the event, controversy surrounded the inclusion of the Village People, who performed at January's inauguration of US President Donald Trump and whose anthem "Y.M.C.A." was used in his election campaign.
Organizers said contracts could not be terminated and tried to downplay the dispute.
"Political issues should take a back seat today. Even though freedom and openness for the community are political issues in the broadest sense, we should celebrate and have fun," said organizer Markus Krampe.
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PRESS RELEASE: GAMESCOM 2025: NACON UNVEILS ITS LINE-UP
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Scheduled for release in late 2025, the game showcased its gameplay in a new video, featuring the darkly humorous master of stealth navigating vast, vertical environments in pursuit of a rare resource known as Quartz. Hell is UsAlso featured at the Future Games Show with a brand-new story-driven trailer, Hell is Us, the upcoming action-adventure title, is being shown in its final version for PS5® and PC on the NACON booth. In Hell is Us, players take on the role of Remi, who embarks on a journey to uncover his origins in Hadea, a nation torn by civil war. Along the way, he must face a mysterious calamity responsible for the appearance of strange and deadly creatures. Armed with specially forged weapons, Remi must learn how to defeat these monsters and make the most of his gear. Hell is Us is set to release on 4 September, 2025, for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store). A demo version is currently available on all platforms. 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Players will guide Eline, a brave young heroine, alongside her allies Kanta and Ysoris, as they seek to change their world's real-time combat that allows for chaining spectacular combos by alternating light and heavy attacks, Edge of Memories is scheduled for release on PC and consoles in 2026. Dragonkin: The BanishedHaving entered early access on March 6, Dragonkin: The Banished is debuting its second major update exclusively at Gamescom. This Hack'N'Slash game immerses players in a fantasy world corrupted by powerful draconic forces. The new update introduces a 4th playable character, the Tracker, along with 17 new skills. A brand-new biome is also available, featuring four levels (two volcano-themed and two underground fortresses), a new dungeon, a full bestiary, additional bosses and mini-bosses, and new hunts, plenty of fresh content for fans of the new update will be available for all PC players starting September 16, 2025. 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